The World Is Grateful to Trump : Putin Envoy Lavishes Praise on US President During Peace Push

A senior Kremlin envoy has openly praised United States President Donald Trump’s efforts to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine, signaling a rare note of public approval from Moscow as high-level diplomatic engagements intensify. The remarks came as Trump held separate engagements with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a renewed push to end the prolonged conflict.

Kirill Dmitriev, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy for investment and economic cooperation with foreign countries, welcomed Washington’s peace initiative on Monday. He asserted that Trump’s leadership and negotiation strategy have generated positive sentiment across the international community.

Following Trump’s outreach to both Kyiv and Moscow, Dmitriev said, “The whole world appreciates President Trump and his team’s peace efforts.” His statement came in response to Trump’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and a separate phone conversation with Putin.

Before meeting Zelenskyy at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, Trump spoke directly with Putin over the phone. The US president announced on his Truth Social platform that his discussion with the Ukrainian leader would be open to the media, underlining the transparency he says he wants to bring to the peace process.

Peace Deal ‘Very Close’ but Not Yet Final

After their meeting at Mar-a-Lago, both Trump and Zelenskyy told reporters that negotiations were moving in the right direction, though significant hurdles remained. Trump said clarity would emerge “in a few weeks,” adding that the two sides were “getting a lot closer, maybe very close” to reaching an agreement that could halt the war.

Zelenskyy indicated that the two leaders had reached an understanding on security guarantees for Ukraine. Trump, however, adopted a more measured tone, saying talks on that front were about 95 percent complete. He added that European nations, with support from the United States, were expected to shoulder a major share of future security responsibilities.

One of the most contentious unresolved issues remains the future of Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region. Zelenskyy has sought to soften a US-backed proposal that would require a full Ukrainian military withdrawal from the area—an outcome Russia has long demanded. Both leaders acknowledged that Donbas remains a major sticking point.

“It’s still unresolved, but it’s coming much closer. That’s a really difficult problem,” Trump said.

Trump also revealed that Putin has not agreed to a ceasefire that would allow referendums in disputed territories, a condition Kyiv has said is essential for resolving territorial disputes.

Putin Is ‘Very Serious’ About Peace: Trump

Ahead of the Zelenskyy meeting, Trump was asked whether Russia’s recent strikes on Kyiv suggested that Moscow was not genuinely committed to peace. He dismissed that interpretation.

“No, he’s very serious,” Trump said when asked about Putin’s intentions.

“I think Ukraine has made some very strong attacks also—and I don’t say that negatively,” Trump added. “You probably have to.”

Zelenskyy’s visit to Florida came amid intensified pressure on Kyiv following renewed Russian Airstrikes. On Saturday, Russia launched hundreds of missiles and drones across Ukraine, damaging critical infrastructure, including heating and power systems in the capital.

Territorial Disputes Remain the Core Obstacle

Nearly four years after invading Ukraine, Russia claims control over Crimea and roughly 12 percent of Ukrainian territory, including large parts of the south and most of the Donbas region. Moscow has insisted that any Peace Deal must include Ukraine abandoning its NATO ambitions and withdrawing from Donbas, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.

Kyiv has firmly rejected those demands, instead calling for a freeze along the current front lines. While concrete details remain unclear, US negotiators have floated compromise ideas, including shared management of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and the creation of a free economic zone in Donbas.

As diplomatic momentum builds and rhetoric from Moscow grows more conciliatory toward Washington, global attention is now focused on whether Trump’s renewed engagement can translate into a durable ceasefire—or even a comprehensive peace settlement—in one of Europe’s most destabilizing conflicts in decades.